Spring-actuated letter-file



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. E. JEWELL. SPRING AGTUATED LETTER FILE.

No. 581,864. Patented May 4, 1897.,

WITNESSES dd; fiW/JM,

ATTORNEY-5.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

0. E. JEWELL. SPRING AGTUATED LETTER FILE.

No. 581,864. Patented May 4, 1897.

. A TTORNEIJ,

UNTTEn STATES PATENT EEICE.

CHARLES EDIVIN JEIVELL, OF SENECA FALLS, NElV YORK.

SPRlNG-ACTUATED LETTER-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,864, dated May 4, 1897.

Application filed September 26, 1895- Serial No. 563,725. (No model.)

To ail whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWIN J Ew- ELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Seneca Falls, in the county of Seneca and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Actuated Letter-Files, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to letter-files, billfiles, and similar articles; and the object thereof is to provide a spring-actuated clamping device of this class which is simple in construction and effective in operation and which is comparatively inexpensive.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the back board of the file. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the front sides thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of the back of the file, showing the operating'spring; and Fig. 4; is a perspective view, partiallyin section, of a modification of construction.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the backboard of a file constructed in accordance with my improvement, which is provided in the upper or inner end thereof with an opening or hole 3, as clearly shown in the drawings.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I secure to the back board 2, at opposite sides of the opening 3 and a short distance below it, two tubes 4, each of which is rigidly secured to the board by base-pieces 5, and the upper and projecting ends of said tubes are cut away at an inclination to the sides adjacent to the opening or hole 3, as clearly shown at 6. On the opposite side of the opening or above the same is pivoted or hinged by means of plates '7 transfer-wires 8, consisting of spring-wires having an angular central piece 9, which passes over the central portion of said opening or hole 3 in the back board of the file and is bent backwardly on each side, as shown, and passed through or under the plate 7, forming the pivotal or hinged connection above described, and each side thereof is then curved abruptly outwardly from the plate 8 at right angles thereto, forming side arms 10, each of which is provided with a curve 11, so formed that the ends thereof are adapted to enter and rest within the cut-away portion of the tubes 4, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Pivotally connected with the central portion 9 of the transfer-wires is an arm 12, which passes through said opening 3 and is pivotally connected with an angular inwardly-directed portion 13, formed on the lower portion 14 of the angular spring 15, the sides 16 of which are bent at right angles to the transverse portion and rigidly secured to the back board of the file near the lower end thereof.

In the normal position of the parts the ends ll of the arms of the transfer-wires on the front sides of the file are held in contact with or rest within the cut-away portion of the tubes t, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by the operation of the spring 15 on the back of the file, as will be readily understood.

The tubes 4: constitute the means for attaching the bills, letters, and other papers, Which are inserted thereon in the usual manner, which is well understood in this class of devices, and whenever it is desired to connect such bills, letters, or other documents with the said file the spring 15 at the back of the file is depressed by means of force exerted upon the face or upper surface of the file, by which means the arms 10 of the transfer-wire 8 will be thrown backwardly against the operation of the spring 15, and after the letters, bills, and other documents shall have been placed in position upon thetubes 4 the pres sure can be released from the front or upper surface of the file, and the arms 10 will automatically enter the tubes 4 by the action of the spring 15 and the letters, bills, and other documents be securely retained in position, and by this construction it will be observed that the arms 10 can be thrown backwardly by the pressure exerted upon the front or upper surface of the file by one hand while the other hand is used to manipulate the papers, bills, or other documents to be placed upon or removed from the file.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4: I have illustrated a slight modification of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, wherein I employ a back board 20, centrally of one end of which is secured a plate 21, from which project tubes 22, arranged at the opposite lower corners of said plate, and the upper portion of which tubes are cut away in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Secured to the lower side of the back board 20 is a spring 23, which is provided with a cross-bar or transverse portion 24, to which are connected rods 25, the free ends of which rods are connected with cranks 26, formed on the lower ends of the transfer-wires 27, one of said rods being employed for each transferwire, but only one of which is shown in the drawings, and by means of the rods the trans fer-wires 27 are revolved when the spring 23 is operated.

Mounted on the transfer-wires 27 and resting on the plate 21 are ratchet-wheels 28, the reverse movement of which is controlled by pivoted pawls 29, mounted on said plate adjacent to said ratchet-wheels, and in operating this file it is only necessary to exert force or pressure upon the face of the back board, whereby the spring 23 is operated, which in turn, through the rods 25, rotates the transfer-wires 27 out of engagement with the tubes 22, in which position said transfer-wires may be secured by means ofthe pawls 29, and aft-er the papers or other documents shall have been secured in position upon the tubes 22 the pawls may be released and the spring 23 will revolve the transfer-wires and bring the same into engagement with the tubes 22, as will be readily understood. It will thus appear that I accomplish the object of my invention by means of a device which is simple in construction and operation and which is comparatively inexpensive, while being perfectly adapted to secure the result for which it is intended.

I do not limit myself to the exact form of construction and combination of parts shown and described, as it is evident that many changes in and modifications of the same may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention.

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Aletter-file, consisting of a back piece or plate, to which are secured upwardly-directed tubes, a transfer-wire attached to the back piece or plate and adapted to enter said tubes and the spring upon the back of the file connected with said transfer-wire to force the ends thereof into the tubes, the ends of the transfer-wire being released from the tubes by means of pressure on the back of the file.

2. In a file for letters, bills and the like, the combination with a back board having an opening or openings therein, of the tubes secured thereto, a transfer-wire mounted on said plate or back and having upwardly-curved arms, the ends of which are adapted to enter the tubes, and a spring device upon the back of the board to actuate said curved arms whereby by pressure upon the back,the spring device is operated to disengage the transferwire from the tubes.

3. In a file forletters, bills and the like, the

combination with a back board having an opening therein, of the tubes secured adjacent thereto, a transfer-wire mounted in plates and having upwardly-curved arms, the ends of which are adapted to enter the tubes, the curved spring mounted on the back of said board and an arm connecting the free end of said spring to said transfer-wire to actuate the curved arms which are disengaged from the tubes by pressure on the back of the file substantially as described.

4. In a file for letters, bills or other documents the combination with the back board having an opening or hole therethrough near one end thereof, of a transfer-wire pivoted or hinged to the front of said board adjacent to said opening or hole and having a central angu'lar portion extending over said opening, and curved arms extending outwardly from said board and forwardly and adapted to enter tubes upon the back board to secure the said letters, bills or other documents in position, and a spring secured to the back of said board and pivotally connected with an arm which extends through said opening and is pivotally connected with the center piece of the transfer-wire, whereby the same is oper ated, substantially as described.

5. In a file for letters, bills or other documents, the combination with a back board having an opening therethrough near one end thereof, tubes or rods secured to the front side of said board and projecting outwardly therefrom a short distance below or in front of the said opening and at each side thereof, a springoperated transfer-wire pivoted or hinged to said board on the opposite side of said opening and having a curved central portion extending over said opening and provided with side arms extending outwardly from said board and at right angles thereto, and curved at their outer ends to come in contact with the ends of said tubes or rods, and a spring secured at the back of said board and pivotally connected with an arm which extends through said opening and is pivotally connected with the center piece of the transferwire, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a file for letters, bills or other documents, the combination with the back board thereof, which is provided with an opening near one end, of tubes secured to the board in front of or below said opening at each side thereof and extending outwardly therefrom and having their ends cut away at an inclination on the side adjacent to said opening, a transfer-wire consisting of heavy springwire, pivoted or hinged to said board at each side of said opening and slightly above the same, and having a central curved portion extending over said opening, and provided curved at their outer ends to come in contact with the cut-away portion of said tube, and a spring rigidly secured to the back of the board and pivotally connected with the arm extending through said opening, said arm being also pivotally connected with the central piece of the transfer-Wire, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing, Witnesses, this 19th day of September, 1895.

CHARLES EDWIN JEWELL. Witnesses:

JENNIE JEWELL, CLARENCE AUGUSTUS GANOUNG. 

